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Definition of mombasa
mombasa
/mɑːmˈbɑːsə/
mom · ba · sa
Adjective:Mombasan
mombasa Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A major coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean, recognized as the country's oldest and second-largest city and an essential regional seaport.
Example
"The international cargo ship docked at Mombasa before its goods were transported inland by rail to Nairobi."
• Rhymes for mombasa
Word Origin & Etymology
The name is derived from Arabic 'Manbasa'. In Swahili, the city is historically known as 'Mvita', reflecting its long history of conflicts and its strategic importance as a major East African trading hub.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mombasa. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mombasa